Sunny and quiet weather conditions are currently in place across Central and South Texas.  With a cool Canadian air mass in place, a freeze was observed across the Hill Country and parts of Central Texas early Friday morning.  Despite a sunny sky, this afternoon’s temperature will remain cool, with readings peaking around 58-60 degrees.  Expect a light northerly breeze at 5-10 mph.  It will be cold again Friday night.  Lows Saturday morning will include the upper 20s to low 30s across the Hill Country, the low and middle 30s across Central Texas and the upper 30s towards the coast.

A change in the weather pattern is forecast to take place Saturday when a trough of low pressure tracks northeast out of northern Mexico and moves across Texas.  The trough is predicted to pull an area of mid-level clouds and moisture from the Pacific northeast across Texas Saturday into Saturday evening. This will result in a mostly cloudy to overcast sky.  Some occasional sprinkles of light rain may fall across parts of the Hill Country, Central Texas and the coastal plains regions throughout the day as moisture levels increase.  However, rain amounts, if any, should total just a few hundredths of an inch.  To the west and northwest, a few snow flurries may become mixed with the sprinkles of light rain over the western and northern Hill Country.  This will include the area between Sonora and San Saba.  No accumulation is expected.  The precipitation should taper off from west to east Saturday evening through Saturday night.  Saturday’s temperature will remain cool due to the widespread clouds, with highs being mostly in the mid-50s.  Lows Sunday morning will range from the low 30s across the Hill Country to the mid and upper 30s across Central Texas, to the lower 40s near the coast.

Sunny and dry weather is forecast Sunday through next Thursday as a stable ridge of high pressure sets up over Texas, the southern Plains states and northern Mexico.  A slow warming trend is forecast Monday through Thursday.  Light northeasterly winds Monday and Tuesday will become southerly on Wednesday and Thursday.  High temperatures in the low to mid-60s Sunday, will warm to the low 70s by Wednesday and Thursday.  Low temperatures Monday and Tuesday mornings will range from the low and mid-30s west to around 38-40 degrees towards the coast.  Lows Wednesday through Friday mornings will generally be in the 40s.

Forecasts call for a slight chance to a chance for rain to develop across the region next Friday and next weekend when a trough of low pressure takes shape over the  Desert Southwest and slowly moves to the east.  Although the best chance for rain is forecast to take place across the southern Plains states, a few showers are forecast develop across Central Texas Friday through Sunday.  Totals are forecast to average around a quarter inch, with slightly higher amounts expected towards the coast.  High temperatures over this period are forecast to be in the 60s, with low temperatures in the 40s.

Looking out to the week of December 14th, no significant weather changes are forecast.  Long-range data calls for generally dry and cool weather throughout the week, with high temperatures in the 60s and low temperatures in the 30s and 40s.

Keep an Eye on Jupiter and Saturn this Month

The bright planets Jupiter and Saturn are getting closer and closer to each other in the southwestern sky after twilight.  Look early.  Jupiter is the bright one; Saturn is to the upper left.  Jupiter and Saturn are closing toward their record-breaking conjunction on December 21st, when they will pass just 0.1° from each other low in the sunset. That’s about the width of a toothpick at arm’s length. The two giants have conjunctions about every 20 years, but this will be their closest one visible in our lifetimes.

Have a good weekend.

Bob